Pt3Fe Nanoparticles on B,N-Codoped Carbon as Oxygen Reduction and pH-Universal Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysts

A critical issue in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is to improve the activity and durability of Pt-based catalysts. In this study, a catalyst was prepared with Pt3Fe nanoparticles anchored on the B,N-codoped carbon (Pt3Fe/BNC) having significant HER activity in pH-universal electrolytes and significant ORR activity in acidic media. The as-prepared Pt3Fe/BNC catalyst exhibits notable HER catalytic activity with small overpotentials (η) at j = 10 mA cm–2 (η = 24 mV in 1.0 M KOH, 72 mV in 1.0 M phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), 38 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4, respectively) and significant ORR performance with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.835 V in acidic media. Metal–B bonds are demonstrated to form at the interface between Pt3Fe alloys and the B,N-codoped carbon layer, in addition to abundant immobilized Pt3Fe alloys that boost the activity of Pt3Fe/BNC. This research provides a new strategy for designing Pt-based nanostructures to improve the HER performance at all pH ranges and ORR performance in acidic media.